The picture shows a so-called VAP, or a vascular access point. Patients receiving chemotherapy are often pricked. Poking regularly may cause damage to the blood vessel. That is why patients sometimes get a VAP. Thanks to this subcutaneous implant, a doctor can administer chemotherapy or draw blood, without damaging the blood vessel. Laboratory animals can also benefit from a VAP, for example blood donors.
The British variant of the corona virus, called Variant of Concern (VOC) 202012/01, is, as the name implies, cause for concern. This mutant is up to 70% more contagious because humans have higher virus concentrations in their noses. This mutant also seems to attach better to the cells of the airways.
Want to know all about our scientific progress in 2019?
We are pleased to present the BPRC Annual Scientific Report. It contains all the research highlights of 2019 as well as financial results and facts & figures.
Immunotherapy to treat autoimmune diseases has gained new momentum. Partly thanks to monkeys and mice, we now know more about how interleukin-2 works and how it can help patients in the future.
There are cells called macrophages in almost all organs of the body. Macrophages are very skilled at recognizing infections and stress and absorbing bacteria, waste and dead cells. Macrophages develop early in the embryonic stage and then migrate to organs where they subsequently remain. The macrophages of the brain, so called microglia, are different from macrophages in other organs.
Finding alternatives to animal testing is easier said than done. We are already working on this, but during this process questions also arise: can we completely imitate everything we want to investigate in a culture dish? Which technologies are currently available; what is possible? To find even more answers to these questions, we participated in the Helpathon.
The Leuven vaccine is based on the yellow fever vaccine. This vaccine is used since 1937, making it one of the oldest and safest vaccines in the world. Scientists from KU Leuven have now converted the yellow fever vaccine in such a way that it offers protection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
